The memory of Cromwell and Parnell, Larkin and Connolly were raised this
week amid protests over bank repossessions and increased threats to
mortgage-holders across Ireland.

At the Shelbourne Hotel on Thursday, protestors disrupted a bank auction
of repossessed properties in a manner reminiscent of older times.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath, who attended the protest with Kerry
Independent TDs Tom Fleming and Michael Healy-Rae, described the auction
by British firm Allsop as the pursuit of “blood money”.

He called on the 26-County Tanaise [deputy Prime Minister] Eamon Gilmore
and his advisers to “go see what’s going on with ordinary people’s
houses, businesses, family homes”, as well as “the misery being
perpetrated by the banks”.

McGrath said the cover of the Allsop catalogue was red, he added and
this was appropriate “because there is blood money - and Cromwell is
back”, a reference to the conquest of Ireland by the 17th century
British imperialist.

Mr McGrath asked the Tanaiste whether he would deal with the code of
practice “for the bankers and chancers who are creating misery for
people”.

At the protest leaflets were handed out with a quote from Parnell: “When
a man takes a farm from which another had been evicted you must shun him
on the roadside when you meet him...”

The quote, and the protest itself, recalled the Irish Land League
struggle of the late 19th century, when hated British land agent Captain
Charles C. Boycott was famously ostracised by the local Mayo community,
with the word ‘boycott’ subsequently entering the English language.

Another protest outside the Dail at the weekend was broken up by Gardai
amid pushing and shoving. It was one of a number held in response to
last week’s leak of phone conversations by executives in Anglo Irish
Bank. The conversations in the weeks leading up to that bank’s
disastrous collapse, which ended up costing the state in excess of
thirty billion euro, put the executives in a poor light.

Meanwhile, eirigi councillor Louise Minihan has slammed changes to the
rules governing home repossessions, saying that all evictions from
family homes must be fiercely resisted.

A new banking code approved by the Dublin parliament will potentially
lead to a dramatic increase in home repossessions. Under the new code,
which will come into effect in July 2013, the moratorium on home
repossessions will be slashed from twelve months to just two months,
clearing the way for the banks evict people in mortgage arrears.

Speaking from Ballyfermot, Councillor Minihan said, “Fine Gael and
Labour, in collusion with the Troika, have created an evictions charter
for the private banks.

“Once again the people of Ireland are living under the threat of
eviction from their homes.”

Latest reports indicate up to 200,000 mortgages are already in arrears.

Quoting a slogan made famous by Larkin and Connolly -- ‘an injury to one
is the concern of all’ -- she urged anyone facing eviction or worried
about mortgage arrears to discuss the issue with their family, friends
and neighbours.

“Where a family is willing to resist eviction ask your local community
to support you,” she said. “You’ll find there are more people then you
think in similar situations and many more who will be only to happy to
help.”